D43

Semi-Slav Defense

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6

The position after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6, White to move.

In the Semi-Slav Defense, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.

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The Semi-Slav Defense is a chess opening classified under ECO code D43. It is reached after the moves 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6: 8 moves in, with White to play.

Learn its typical plans and pawn structures rather than memorizing moves — that’s what holds up over the board.

Dozens of named variations branch from this position; the list at the end of the page goes one move deeper into each.

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Variations of the Semi-Slav Defense

Quiet Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nbd2
Accelerated Move Order1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6
Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation, Portisch Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 f5 5. g4
Gunderam Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. f3
Marshall Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4
Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Nc3
Marshall Gambit, Main Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2
Marshall Gambit, Tolush Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e4 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Bb4+ 6. Bd2 Qxd4 7. Bxb4 Qxe4+ 8. Be2 c5 9. Bxc5 Qxg2
Noteboom Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4
Noteboom Variation, Abrahams Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 b5 8. axb5 cxb5
Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. g3
Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg5
Noteboom Variation, Anti-Noteboom Variation, Belyavsky Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg5 f6
Anti-Moscow Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4
Botvinnik Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4
Botvinnik Variation, Alatortsev System1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 Nd5
Botvinnik Variation, Ekstrom Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. exf6 gxh4 10. Ne5
Botvinnik Variation, Lilienthal Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. g3
Botvinnik Variation, Szabo Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 b5 7. e5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Nxg5 hxg5 10. Bxg5 Nbd7 11. Qf3
Accelerated Meran Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 a6
Main Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3
Normal Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7
Rubinstein System1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Ne5
Stoltz Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Qc2
Stoltz Variation, Center Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4
Stoltz Variation, Center Variation, Mikhalchishin Line1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Qxe4 e5 10. dxe5
Stoltz Variation, Shabalov Attack1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. g4
Stonewall Defense1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 c6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Ne4 6. Bd3 f5
Bogoljubow Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Be7
Chigorin Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6
Romih Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4
Meran Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5
Meran Variation, Lundin Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 b4
Meran Variation, Wade Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7
Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Kaidanov Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. e4 b4 10. Na4 c5 11. e5 Nd5 12. O-O cxd4 13. Nxd4
Meran Variation, Wade Variation, Larsen Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. e4 b4 10. Na4 c5 11. e5 Nd5
Semi-Meran Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4
Meran Variation, Old Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. e5
Meran Variation, Pirc Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 b4
Meran Variation, Reynolds' Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 b5 8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5 10. d5

Related openings

Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation Semi-Slav Defense: Quiet Variation Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Noteboom, Stonewall Variation, Portisch Gambit Semi-Slav Defense: Gunderam Gambit Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Forgotten Variation Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Main Line Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit, Tolush Variation Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation

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